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Quiz Answers

If you answered yes to less than 3 questions, congratulations! You are doing a great job of keeping your hormones optimized.

If you answered yes to 3 questions or more, you likely have some hormone imbalances that are contributing to your weight gain. Let me explain . . .

1. Do you drink from plastic water bottles, plastic straws, or through plastic coffee cup lids more than 3 times per week?

Plastics contain the chemicals BPA and phthalates. These chemicals (termed Obesogens, chemicals that interfere with our hormone system and contribute to weight gain) have been shown in several studies, including one published in the 2012 international Journal of Obesity, to increase the number of fat cells and the size of fat cells. In fact, a 2002 study by Masuno and colleagues showed that mice exposed to even small amounts of BPA had a 1300% increase in fat levels! To reduce exposure, use glass or stainless steel water bottles, don’t heat or cook things in plastic, and minimize eating canned foods since the linings of cans contain BPA.

2. Do you eat meat (chicken, beef, pork) that is conventionally raised (i.e. not grass-fed and organic) more than twice per week?

Meat contains both hormones and antibiotics which then get absorbed into consumer tissues, disrupting fat metabolism. For example, conventionally raised beef is fed GMO corn or GMO soy (obesogens) and then injected with up to 6 synthetic steroid hormones (obesogens). Since soy or corn is not a natural diet for the animal, it gets sick more often and needs to be given antibiotics (obesogens). A typical steak will have 7 ½ times the fat content than it should have. Avoid exposure to obesogens in your meat by eating only grass-fed beef, free range organic chicken, and wild-caught fish. And try to eat less meat overall and more plant-based foods.

3. Do you suffer from acne, excess facial hair, and ovarian cysts?

This collection of signs and symptoms is usually correlated with a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It is not known what causes PCOS but it is suspected to be a hereditary condition. Women with PCOS overproduce testosterone and also become desensitized to Insulin, our hormone that regulates blood sugar. Insulin resistance, as this condition is known, contributes to weight gain, and approximately 50-65% of PCOS patients struggle with their weight. Work with your physician to treat insulin resistance and help optimize body weight.

4. Do you use lotion, moisturizer, foundation, or sunblock most days?

Phthalate, a toxic chemical obesogen, is found in 70% of skincare products, perfumes, cosmetics, and personal care products. Approximately 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into the body. The skin, our largest organ, is a permeable membrane. Consider it a giant sponge. My rule is, if you are not willing to eat it, you shouldn’t put it on your skin! Look for all-natural products that are free of phthalates, parabens, PEG’s, and sodium lauryl sulfate.

5. Do you: experience hot flashes or night sweats, no longer have periods, or have irregular periods?

This cluster of symptoms generally correlates with menopause in women or andropause in men. In menopause and andropause, the ovaries and testes have stopped producing optimal levels of hormones that keep our bodies lean and our metabolism revved high. The college age kid who could pound pizza, beer, chips, and ice cream and not gain weight is long gone. Now it seems the mere sight of lettuce causes the waistline to bulge. But there is hope . . . have your physician test and replace your hormones for optimal fat burning and weight reduction.

6. Do you have insomnia or poor sleep? Or routinely get less than 7 hours of sleep each night?

Lack of sleep disrupts our normal circadian rhythm - needed for optimal human growth hormone, cortisol, and sex steroid hormone levels. One example of this hormone discord is that deep sleep is needed to produce HGH. If we don’t make enough HGH, we cannot maintain lean muscle mass which has a high resting metabolic rate, i.e. burns more calories. According to a 2004 study people are 30% more likely to be obese if they sleep less than 6 hours versus those who sleep 7-9 hours per night.

7. Do you have chronic, ongoing high stress?

Chronic, ongoing stress is fattening! Our ”fight or flight” response gets stuck in the “on” position flooding our system with adrenaline and high cortisol. These hormones trigger the body to crave sugar and carbs, quick fuel to replenish the body during these times of high stress. Not only do we get an increase in appetite and crave more sugar and carbs, but we also tend to store these foods as fat more readily than when we are not in a stress response. And to make matters worse, the fat gain is generally deposited around the belly.

8. Do you struggle with food cravings, excess appetite, and mood swings?

Strong food cravings, mood swings, and increased appetite can mean your neurotransmitters, chemical messengers in the brain, are out of balance. For example, when Serotonin, our feel good “happy” brain chemical is low, we tend to crave carbs and sugar to try and boost our levels and our mood. When Dopamine is low, a neurotransmitter involved in pleasure and addiction, we will struggle with binge eating and food addiction. Your physician can order a urine test to measure your neurotransmitter levels. The goal is to use vitamins and supplements to naturally balance your brain chemistry without having to resort to prescription drugs such as SSRI’s.

9. Do you have fatigue, constipation, and brain fog?

These symptoms could mean you have low thyroid. When your thyroid is sluggish, your metabolism is too. Your thyroid is the motor for your body’s furnace so if it isn’t optimal, you will have a hard time losing weight. Most doctors only run a basic lab test called a TSH. But it really misses a lot of patients who are borderline low thyroid. Ask your doctor for a full thyroid blood panel that includes a TSH, a free T3 and a free T4. The difference between a person with a TSH on the low end of normal range and a person on the high end of normal range is a 12.13 pound difference in body weight!

10. Do you use artificial sweeteners such as Splenda? Or drink diet soda?

Most people think that using Splenda and artificial sweeteners will help them save calories and lose weight. Unfortunately they do the opposite! Research has shown that when we consume artificial sweeteners, our body still releases the same cascade of hormones as if it was actual sugar . . . our insulin spikes and then crashes when there is no glucose for it to process, producing strong food cravings. A Duke University study revealed that Splenda contributes to increased appetite and food consumption resulting in weight gain. It has also been shown to alter our gut bacteria, essential for metabolism, immune health, and various other components of good health.

Schedule a complementary consultation with Dr. Brimhall to find out how you canfeel good again!